Laura Kurella: Beyond Meat is like the real thing

By Laura Kurella

Tuesday

Jun 12, 2018 at 10:30 AM

Being a foodie, I've had all kinds of things cross my plate, carnivore and herbivore alike.

Being a foodie, I’ve had all kinds of things cross my plate, carnivore and herbivore alike. However, I have come to find that most people, no matter what side of the farm their fork is flung, find familiarity and opinion about the word “vegan.” To many, it infers a healthier way of eating that is flanked by multiple vegan, meat “mock” over products that don’t taste near as good as the meat that most of us would prefer to eat.Hoping to make better dietary choices for myself, especially now that I have reached the age my father was when his vascular health took him away, I decided to try eating a vegan breakfast product. However, after about two months, and thanks to a doctor, I found the vegan product’s main ingredient (wheat gluten) might be what was triggering inflammation that was becoming chronic in my arm. Fleeing from this miserable experience, with barely the bitter taste out of my mouth, I ran into a new line of vegan burgers: Beyond Meat. A plant-based burger designed to look, taste and cook like the real thing, this skeptical gal was now smart enough to read its label and was thrilled to see it has no gluten or soy and is also GMO-free.Offering as much protein as an animal-sourced meat, this burger gets its nutrients from plants, specifically pea protein. It features trace amounts of other good things like beet, which gives it a beefy-red color and even a little bleeding. We decided to take these burgers for a “taste” drive and, my goodness, do they taste good. In fact, they are darn near to the real thing.Tender, juicy, flavorful and nutrient forward, Beyond Meat delivers the same meaty tenderness and texture I have experienced in Kobe Beef.Priced at what you’d expect to pay for a good burger when dining out, they are well worth the cost, because they are so satiating and flavor-intense. So good, in fact, I am sure my red-meat-loving father would have snapped them right up! Go beyond your vegan expectations and serve up a “vascular-friendly” and flavorful Father’s Day feast featuring a new plant protein in town that has most definitely gone beyond meat! Find more about them, their products and recipes at Beyondmeat.com. Happy Father’s Day!

Vegan-n-out burger 2 Beyond Meat vegan pattiesVegan American cheese slicessliced tomatoleaf lettucewhite onion slices1 teaspoon vegan buttersalt and pepper2 vegan hamburger bunsIn-N-Out style Secret Sauce1/4 cup vegan mayo2 tablespoons ketchup1 tablespoon sweet relish1 teaspoon yellow mustard1 teaspoon white vinegar1 teaspoon sugarTo prepare the secret sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Lightly toast the buns. Season the thawed patties with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and melt the vegan butter in the pan. Cook the patties for 3 minutes on one side then flip. Layer the cheese on the patties and cover the pan so the cheese melts. Cook for 3 more minutes. Build the vegan burgers with lettuce, tomato, onion, and 1 tablespoon secret sauce. (You will have leftover sauce.) To make the burgers Double style, divide each thawed patty into two parts. Form them into balls then smash them into 1/4-inch thick patties. Cook each patty for 2 minutes on each side, melting the cheese on top after flipping. Build the burgers with two patties, and desired toppings. To make the burgers Animal style, spread a layer of yellow mustard on the patties before cooking them in the pan then include sliced pickles and grilled onions when building the burgers.Note: You may substitute a ramen noodle bun (or gluten-free rice noodle) in place of a regular hamburger bun. Find Ramen recipe at beyondmeat.com.

Beyond breakfast sandwich2 Beyond Burger patties2 potato pancakes or hash brown patties2 slices vegan cheddar cheese1/2 avocado, sliced1/2 cup bell pepper, sliced and sautéed2 English muffins, toasted1 1/2 tablespoon olive oilPreheat oven to 400 degrees. Place favorite store bought potato pancakes or hash browns in oven. Follow heating instructions on package. While the potatoes are cooking, pre-heat a pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, cook the Beyond Burger patties for 3 minutes per side. Interior of product may still be red or pink when fully cooked, do not overcook. Remove the burgers from pan. Add olive oil to hot pan and sauté bell peppers until they are caramelized. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the cooked Beyond Burger patties on the baking sheet and top with cheddar cheese. Broil for 1-2 minutes until melted. Make sure you watch carefully as broilers cook quickly and cooking times can vary.Toast the English muffins and then stack each with burger, bell pepper, potato pancake and avocado.

Find more of Laura’s recipes at Foodchannel.com and Laurakurella.com. Email her at Laurakurella@yahoo.com

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